Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 107 Part 3.djvu/824

 107 STAT. 2762 PROCLAMATION 6626—NOV. 18, 1993 November 25, 1993, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the citizens of this great Nation to gather in their homes, places of worship, or wherever they may choose to express heartfelt thanks for the abimdance bestowed on us throughout our history. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereimto set my hand this seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighteenth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6626 of November 18, 1993 National Children's Day, 1993 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation America's children are at once our most precious national resource and our most weighty responsibility. They represent our future hopes and aspirations. By empowering and supporting America's families today, we can make a more secm« world for all Americans tomorrow. Millions of America's children grow up in stable and loving families. At the same time, an alarmingly high number of our youth do not have the benefit of such security; many grow up himgry, neglected, or abused. Far too many reach adolescence having experienced painful episodes of physical, mental, or emotional mistreatment that have longlasting effects. For them, the future can be clouded with doubt or despair. We all must take it upon ourselves to address these problems and to guarantee that children of all families will be given new hope for a better life. We must get back to "being our neighbor's keeper" when it comes to raising children. The plight of our neighborhoods and communities must be rectified and replaced with a positive environment in which to grow and live in safety. Today's children are frightened and worried. We must close the opportunity gap and the responsibility gap because all of the children of America deserve an equal chance. Parents must make an all-out effort to provide an accepting, caring, and loving atmosphere for their children. Grandparents also have an important role to play, as do other members of the extended family. This is an issue that all Americans can and should support and promote. By becoming directly involved and assuming personal responsibility, we can strengthen our schools, churches, and communities in ways that will reinforce and enhance the importance of values that the family structure can provide. This is all the more critical as the world becomes an increasingly complex and interrelated place. We must interact in the future with any number of new and emerging nations. In order to do this successfully, we will need the talent, dedication, and best efforts of all of our youth. .,,„

�